Windsor Star, June 13, 2008
Regarding ScaleDown’s campaign to protect the former Bank of Montreal building at Walker and Ottawa Streets in Olde Walkerville…
Building not on heritage list
Windsor Star Friday, June 13, 2008
CREDIT: Pawel Dwulit, Windsor Star FACING DEMOLITION: The former Bank of Montreal building at Walker Road and Ottawa Street was built in 1919, but isn’t designated as historical and the current owner is applying to have it demolished. A Walkerville bank built in 1919 is slated for demolition. It’s only hope is if city council decides Monday to save it, even though it’s not on the city’s heritage list.
A demolition permit has been requested by Spiro Govas, the owner of the former Bank of Montreal on the corner of Walker Road and Ottawa Street. He wants it demolished to provide more visibility for the shopping plaza he owns behind the bank, and to provide more parking.
“I’m in favour of saving it even though it’s not on the list,” said Coun. Ron Jones, one of two councillors who sit on the city’s heritage committee.
“The owner has a right to apply (for demolition) and likely has a good argument, but I hope council sees the wisdom of saving this building. We’ve lost too many on Walker already — some through fire, others through neglect.”
The city was sharply criticized recently when a nearby building on Walker — the former Seagrave fire truck factory — was demolished, even though it was on the protected heritage list, when city hall inadvertently issued a demolition permit.
City administration has since focused on being more careful with issuing demolition permits, ensuring protocol is followed to double check for historic or architectural significance, said Lee Ann Doyle, acting executive director of building and development.
“Since Seagrave, that upped the ante to make sure we do our due diligence and have it reviewed.”
The former bank’s demolition request has already been reviewed by the city’s heritage committee, which has little authority to save the building since it is not on the heritage list.
Nevertheless, the committee decided to recommend designation of the property under the Heritage Act.
‘Quality structure’
“We don’t know why it’s not on the inventory list…. It’s a quality structure and meets all criteria for heritage preservation,” said Greg Heil, chairman of the heritage committee.
“We were told by administration that (designation) in itself not a legal justification for denying the permit. We did it anyway to register opposition to the loss of the building.”
The former bank could serve as a medical office or a store, he suggested.
“They are withholding the permit until its gets to council. I don’t know if that is an opportunity to save the building or not,” Heil said.
A report going to council Monday from city planner Thom Hunt says that despite the heritage committee’s recommendation to designate, the building department must provide the demolition permit for 1295 Walker Rd. since its application predates the heritage designation.
But administration will not take action on the permit until directed by council, according to Hunt.
Local blogger Chris Holt of Scaledown Windsor has launched a campaign against the demolition, encouraging people to call councillors to save the building.
“It’s the gateway to Old Walkerville,” Holt said.
“These old buildings are the reason people live in Old Walkerville. We are losing the fabric and want to see it stopped.”
Pat Malicki, from the Windsor branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, described the building as a landmark, but said it will be difficult to save since it was not on the list before the demolition permit was requested.
“So much has been torn down around there,” she said. “It’s the only thing left of the cultural landscape.
“Administration is taking the right steps so we don’t have another debacle like the Seagrave building,” Malicki said. “In a perfect world you save them all. I don’t think this one is winnable. I can only hope maybe they can find some other use for the building.”
GRANT APPROVED
City council gave final approval Monday to provide a $52,000 grant to the owner of the historic Low-Martin house in Walkerville.
The money will help with the $200,000 cost of replacing the roof.
“We are very pleased they saw the importance of providing a significant amount for a grant to this owner,” said Greg Heil, chairman of the city’s heritage committee.
Located at 2021 Ontario St., the property is best known as the former home of Paul Martin Sr.
© The Windsor Star 2008
Tags: City Council, place making, planning department, revitalization, walkerville
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So because the APPLICATION was before the heritage list it should be demolished? What sort of stupidity is that?
I guess the new planning manager isn’t a fan of heritate either…so much for having a friend in Thom Hunt. I guess Windsor will continue with it’s shameful treatment of the past for more stupid parking lots, strip malls and big box stores.
Can anyone explain to me why anyone would want to visit Windsor as a tourist destination if it looks EXACTLY like any other city in N. America?
Do we not go to other cities to see different attractions?
Typical Windsor administration….say one thing but do the exact opposite. Whine about not having visitors to the city but don’t do a damn thing to beautify our downtown or have a cohesive plan in place? What ever happened to those lies called the CIP? I guess it was just busllshit from an ineffective council pretending to care about what residents think.
Truly, who runs this city? The council or our illustrious administration.
If they read this, please read the link. It is only a couple of minutes long but speaks VOLUMES about what other cities are doing while Windsor keeps their heads up their collective asses.
http://www.househunting.ca/renovating/story.html?id=67534607-d159-4ffa-b812-6f7785afc456
ME - ..who runs this city? .. by the looks of things the developers! thats who..
Apparently, all they have to do is send in an application one minute and sign a contract for the wrecking bal the next!!!
No need for council or amdmin. or even the public to be involved at all !!!
The premier architectural wonder and symbol of Windsor is the “Parking Lot”
What the city has saved in not having a Heritage manager in contact with city planning, development and licensing has been squandered in the national press as a city that doesn’t care about its heritage. Talk about branding and it was almost free, except for the rubber stamping of demolition permits.
It is shocking that a heritage building like this is even potntially subject to demolition. I wrote to my local councillors (Halberstadt and Valentinis) on this issue, but still have not received a substantive response. Can anyone fill me in on what the latest is? I’m out of town for a few weeks and hoping not to return to yet another soul-eroding parking lot. Thanks to the Scaledown folks for alerting us to this issue via flyers at Art in the Park.
Chris Waters
You’re welcome Chris, and thanks for letting your councilors know how you feel. Halberstadt and Valentinis were two of the three (the other being Hatfield) who voted to save the building. They know how passionate us Walkervillians are about our old buildings.
The fact is that the old bank building will probably be a gravel lot when you return home from your vacation. There was nothing any of us could do about it, short of chaining ourselves to it. It is sad how the date stamp of a demolition permit (the city has no legal leg to stand on since the application for demolition was accepted prior to the WHC designating it) is the thing that will be bringing the building down. It’s lasted for 90+ years up until now.
That’s right. No one can fault Valentinis/Halberstadt or Hatfield. They did their best - in their words - to “draw a line in the sand”. Legal obstacles or not, there was no excuse for Jones’ catatonic state throughout the discussion, or Brister’s wisecrack toward Andrew mocking the historical merit of the former BMO bank in comparison to other Old Walkerville landmarks. Hopefully the amateur comedian Brister will have some out of town guests this summer so he can show them Walkerville’s historical gravel lots.